Vantara: It has rolled out a new luxury watch in India with a theme of a personal zoo owned by the Mukesh Ambani family, with its hand-painted figurine of his youngest son, Anant, at the centre.
The bejewelled time piece designed by Jacob & Co luxury watchmakers consists of figures of lion and a Bengal tiger carved around the statue of Anant seated on a chair.
Although the watchmaker has not announced the price, collective Watchopea in the industry puts it at $1.5m (PS1.1m, 137m rupees).
Over 2,000 species of animals can be found on the centre – branded as a private wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, which includes lions, elephants and tigers and spread on 3,500 acres.
When Anant owns a zoo that is not publicly accessible, it made headlines last year on claims of illegally obtaining and abusing animals, but since then no evidence of such actions was reported in a team appointed by the Supreme Court.
It is based in Jamnagar in the western state of Gujarat but not too far apart Mukesh Ambani oil refinery which is the largest in the world.
In March last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Vantara.
It also hosted some of the grandiose pre-wedding ceremonies by Anant Ambani that had been worldwide news.
All the leading Bollywood stars in India and international celebrity names like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna were present at the wedding and rest of the events.
Others who attended included business tycoons like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, former chancellors of Britain Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, and the daughter of the US president Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
In their social media introduction of the watch, Jacob & Co mentioned that the new luxury timepiece was dedicated to Vantara, and the figurine of Anant in the centre of the face of the watch was the representation of stewardship and duty.
It claimed that the watch was a combination of 397 rare jewels such as diamonds, green sapphires, garnet and other precious gems.
One of the brand executives working with Indian retailer Ethos Watches told the BBC that the watch retailer has not revealed the price of the watch. At the same time, he added it is not present in the stores yet.
Private zoo Vantara run by billionaire Ambani family cleared of ‘foul play’
According to a special investigation team commissioned by the highest court in India, the process of acquiring animals at Vantara – a private zoo owned by the son of the richest man in Asia Mukesh Ambani – was within the confines of all laws.
The panel of retired judges was established at the beginning of last month to investigate the claims that animals at Vantara were being purchased illegally and abused. On Monday, it reported that there was no foul play in the management of the zoo.
The Supreme Court had earlier also indicated that the charges seemed unsubstantiated but directed an investigation following claims that the authorities had not conducted the investigation on the zoo right.
Vantara claimed that the investigation had confirmed that the doubts and allegations had no foundation.
Vantara has a population of 2,000 species of animals (elephants, tigers and others).
It covers 3,500 acres and is situated in Jamnagar, in India, the western state of Gujarat, not too far away as Mukesh Ambani oil refinery, the largest in the world.
It was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March this year and one of these were host to the extravagant pre-wedding celebrations that were undergone by its owner Anant Ambani last year that hit the headlines across the world.
Being closed off to the general population, Vantara has been criticized by wildlife activists and conservationists due to many reasons such as the inappropriateness of the climate in the area; being hot and dry, to some of the species.
The shelter recently was the focus of furious demonstrations in the Maharashtra state, when a sick elephant of a temple at Kolhapur town was taken to Vantara in July due to an order of the high court.
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